“Blue Water” veterans may finally be entitled to Agent Orange disability benefits


A recent federal appeals court ruling could expand disability benefits to Navy Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange, a chemical weapon known to cause serious health problems in those exposed.

After realizing the deadly long-term health impacts Agent Orange had on those who served, Congress passed the Agent Orange Act of 1991 in an attempt to provide some financial relief.

However, in an article published by WCPO 9, the Department of Veterans Affairs continued to deny claims by “Blue Water” veterans, saying that only soldiers present on the Vietnamese mainland would have reasonably been exposed to the substance.

Although the VA may still continue to fight the recent federal court’s ruling extending benefits to “Blue Water” veterans, it will need the support of the Supreme Court of the United States to succeed.

For more information on this court ruling, click here.

Relevant pages: Veterans Disability